[Comments on H.R. 5248 and H.R. 5254]
Highlights
In response to a congressional request, GAO commented on two bills that would amend the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. Specifically, the bills would: (1) require that the Comptroller General's sequestration report be made to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, who would then issue a separate report to the President; and (2) remove both the Comptroller General and the Director of the Congressional Budget Office from participation in the deficit reduction process. GAO believes that: (1) Congress should exercise the responsibility of determining how budgetary reductions are made by retaining the existing fallback procedures; (2) the determination as to which of the two proposals would be preferable for an automatic sequestration process is a matter best left to congressional judgment; and (3) it would not favor any proposal that would interfere with its role of advising and assisting Congress.